


The Only Home I Needed Was You

by theprincessed



Series: Aaron Week 2018 [2]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron Dingle POV, Affair era, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Canon Compliant, Husbands, M/M, Memories, Parallels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:17:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: What a difference three years make.~ Or the story of Aaron being invited to stay at Home Farm by Robert compared to them having a date night as they live together in the Mill.(Set 30th March 2015 vs 30th March 2018)(Day 2: Home(s)





	The Only Home I Needed Was You

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! I struggled with Day 2 and as such it was the last fic I finished in this week, but this is what I managed to cobble together.
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

After a whirlwind of a week, Aaron still feels weird. Weird about Robert's apparently mutual feelings for him, weird about telling new lies to his mum and weird about being invited to stay at Home Farm no less. From the moment Robert answers the door and walks back to the kitchen, assuming Aaron will easily follow, it's a surreal experience because it's everything Aaron never thought he'd get - real time with the man he loves without fear of being interrupted. For months he'd been under no illusion what he thought Robert's view of them was, but it's always something Aaron could let go of when they're alone, just two guys who click against all the odds. Add Robert's confession on top and, rightly or wrongly, what they're doing in this moment feels _right_ at the same time as feeling off-kilter. 

With Vic's words about her brother ringing in his ears, Aaron clinks his beer bottle against Robert's and drinks. He may as well be naked already with how Robert's eyes are slowly taking him in, devouring without saying a word, until he seems to come to some sort of conclusion in his head and he turns towards a drawer.

"I know I said pizza," Robert begins, smiling. Aaron can tell he is because his cheek rounds out and he wants to berate himself automatically for noticing that. Robert fans out a bunch of takeaway menus onto the kitchen island from the aforementioned pizza to a posh Thai place. "But you can choose anything ya like. My treat." Aaron fails to suppress his eye roll at him thinking like usual that he has to buy Aaron's approval and affection, but there's a fizz in his belly that happens whenever Robert chuckles. "What? I'm tryin' to be nice!"

"Yeah, you're trying too hard, mate." Aaron steps closer and puts his finger on a random glossy menu without looking. "Just get pizza. Not as messy as Chinese and tastes better than anything wanky like sushi."

Robert raises his eyebrows, amused. "Wanky?"

"Shut up," Aaron answers, like a reflex to teasing.

He looks at Robert's mouth to his eyes and back down to do his own bit of undressing and Robert welcomes the move, smile tilting into a smirk. "Pizza it is."

In fact, he phones for delivery with his fingers toying with the open sides of Aaron's coat because Aaron continues to stand there, not quite knowing how to act, and he also starts to suspect that Robert can make anything into foreplay. As soon as the call finishes, he tosses his phone onto the island as well and yanks Aaron in by the front of his t-shirt for a passionate kiss. Aaron melts into him as _this_ he can do, clutching at Robert's brown bodywarmer as their tongues brush, making him weak-kneed and wish that they were somewhere they could be more horizontal. Once several minutes have gone by with Robert's hands on his face as he plunders his mouth, Aaron groans in his throat and tries to direct him at least into the living room but Robert makes a noise of protest and his lips stretch in a pressed smile.

"Nuh-uh," he gasps, "I want ya here,"

"You've said." Aaron shuts his eyes as Robert cups the nape of his neck and kisses the other side. Neck kisses are one of his secret weaknesses. Robert's trying to get his own way.

"I mean, _here_. Always wanted to do it here." For emphasis, Aaron's back hits the island like they're going to fight and he desperately hopes that his face doesn't betray that he is a little bit hurt that Robert's had fantasies about sex in this house before. "With you!" he adds hurriedly, "I've thought about having ya on this island, so many times."

If Robert's default setting is to be a smart alec then Aaron's is to make Robert work for what he desires. Sometimes it feels like the only way Aaron is holding on, to his own sanity, to what they've got when they can be together.

"Who says you're gonna?"

"You're not bad at dirty talk," he grins, unaffected.

Suddenly, he grips Aaron's elbows and flips him bodily so that his belly digs into the edge of the menu-strewn island and he feels Robert push his hips forward. He breathes a _yeah_ into Aaron's ear, but it's almost like a sigh to himself before his fingers are scrabbling at Aaron's jacket and his heart skips a beat at the thought that this isn't a lie, Robert's thought about it and he wants it and he's going to convince Aaron to want it too by pulling his jeans and his underwear down and making sure this is good for the both of them.

The air and the furniture is cold on Aaron's skin as he's left in just his t-shirt and hoodie, the rest of his clothes at his ankles, and Robert pauses to stroke a hand down the length of his spine. Aaron stares hard at the brightly coloured menus and the tender moment passes without comment to Robert's knuckles brushing his arse as the metallic sound of him undoing his belt seems so loud. Aaron starts to wonder if he planned this and thinks he's proven right when Robert leans his torso away to reach for another drawer. His jeans, worn soft, press into Aaron's naked thighs and he bites his lip as lube and a condom lands in front of him. They're collecting debris already and Aaron's heart twists as he realises quickly that it's not a brand they've been using lately.

His eyes find Robert's phone on the island. As Robert rubs a dry thumb between his cheeks, teasing, Aaron thinks his fingers could slip and he could easily call Chrissie now and get everything out in the open, to stop the lying and the sneaking around, to hope that Robert would do the right thing. It's an utterly crazy thought and one that's thankfully interrupted by the ring of the doorbell. None the wiser to the emotional danger he was just in, Robert kisses Aaron's cheek and goes to answer it, brazenly aware that his bodywarmer is on the kitchen floor, his belt is undone and his hair is mussed.

Perhaps to tease him further, Robert takes his sweet time with paying the delivery man for the pizzas, but Aaron stays put. At this angle, he's hidden and besides, he knows Robert will come back to him. It's a novelty he intends to make the most of all week.

\---

"Oi! Are you listening to me?"

Aaron blinks bleary eyes open. The recorded show he'd been trying to watch has changed to an episode of that quiz show _Eggheads_ and he cranes his head back against the sofa to see an upside down version of Robert with the TV remote in his hand and a soft look on his face.

"Yeah, 'course," he lies, yawning.

Robert tuts and dips in to kiss his forehead before he rounds the sofa and takes a seat next to Aaron making an effort to sit up into more than a sleepy slouch.

"I said, the chicken is nearly ready," he grins.

Robert's been in such a good mood since he returned home from Victoria Cottage. Aaron had been about to warily ask what he'd been up to with Jimmy and Nicola because he got this excited when he was scheming, but his boyfriend-fiancé-husband (it was hard to know what term to use since they got back together) had interrupted to declare this Friday evening an impromptu date night and that he was going to cook them a proper meal. With Liv hiding in her room and Seb asleep, it's just the two of them and Aaron smiles inwardly. He has to admit, Robert is right that sometimes it's nice to come home to a home-cooked meal. It can be even better than pizza.

"What?" Robert asks and Aaron realises that he must be smiling for real.

"Nothing," he replies, quickly.

"No, go on - Aaron, talk to me."

He looks at Robert sitting there with his legs spread casually and the sleeves of his blue jumper rolled up. Aaron slides his gaze to the bodywarmer Robert had ditched on the airmchair as soon as he revealed his plans for the night, apparently included food, a DVD and probable snuggling on the sofa. It seemed like a celebration of some sort and Aaron's thrown back to a yesteryear, enjoying spending time with this man now sat beside him, no pressure to be anything but themselves and together.

"Do you remember three years ago?"

After a moment, Robert nods. "There was a General Election, NASA found water on Mars and that Little Mix song about black magic was everywhere."

Aaron stares at him, his emotions warring with wondering who this idiot nerd is and being glad that he does. "I meant, do you remember us three years ago?" He sees Robert's expression shutter for the first time in a while and tries to save it. "Us at Home Farm that week around Easter, yeah?"

Robert comes back to him and reaches over to squeeze Aaron's knee. "Hmm, sugar isn't a viable food group, apparently. What about it?"

"I dunno," Aaron shrugs. "It just came to me how different things are now. You're cooking our tea and I'm sat here, making myself at home because that's what this is - we're home."

The feeling of belonging settles into his body like it was always meant to be there and he comes out of his reverie to see Robert staring, eyes soft. Once he knows Aaron is present, he leans in and kisses him gently. He presses their foreheads together afterwards and Aaron stares at the blur of his freckles this up close and the length of his eyelashes sweeping his cheeks. He still feels as lucky as he did back then, but now he doesn't have to rely on scraps. He has all of Robert's heart as Aaron gives the same to him.

"The sex was pretty incredible though," Robert says eventually, breaking the spell.

He laughs as Aaron shoves him away to get back to cooking, but neither of them hear Aaron deny it.

\---

Flushed pink and sweaty, Aaron clings onto the island with all his might as Robert drives into him with long, sure strokes. Nothing is filling his mind except how solid Robert's body feels as he holds Aaron's shoulder and opposite hip and that he'd really like to come sometime soon. 

His dick twitches at that idea and he tries to move his leg up onto the island to get some purchase so his hand is free to touch himself. Robert makes a choked off noise and lets go of Aaron's shoulder to push down on his head instead. Aaron manages to turn his hot cheek and screws his eyes shut as Robert's hips stutter erratically and he plunges in deeper to keep a hold of the situation, the lube thankfully slippery enough. 

He's lost in his own pleasure though and a handful of thrusts later, he sucks Aaron's earlobe between his lips and climaxes with a muffled long groan. He's always careful not to bite, to leave evidence, although sometimes Aaron wishes he would as there'd be something physical to take with him that doesn't fade within hours.

As Robert shudders in an aftershock and breathes harshly into his neck, Aaron thinks maybe this one will last a bit longer than the rest and he clenches to feel the length of Robert inside him. Predictably, Robert hisses and pulls out to drop the condom in the kitchen bin nearby. 

He crowds into Aaron's space again, kissing his neck. "I'll get rid of it properly later," he says, despite Aaron not being in the least bit interested in that, probably because he's still unsatisfied. Robert's normally not a selfish lover, but maybe he got too carried away and that's how Aaron justifies yet another thing about him to himself until Robert pushes him into the nearest white stool. His clothes stuck at his feet, Aaron has no choice but to fall and he gasps as Robert drops to his knees and swallows him whole. 

He tries not to think how he wanted Robert to remain inside him when he came as he fists his blonde hair and touches his skin, his torso bare but his unzipped jeans protecting his knees from the hard floorboards. Ready to blow his load, it doesn't take much for Aaron to find release and he struggles not to thrust into Robert's throat. He can't have any excuse for suspicion. As Robert collapses against the island and licks his lips clean, Aaron's stomach rumbles.

"We should eat," Robert chuckles below him. "Keep our strength up, y'know."

"Upstairs?" Aaron suggests and their eyes meet, Robert looking up at him in surprise. It's brave to even nudge at the elephant in the room, but he likes how he gets an illicit thrill from it too and that he's managed to wrong-foot this cocky, oblivious man. "You've got a TV, yeah?"

"Absolutely."

Robert gets to his feet as Aaron gingerly pulls up his clothes so he can walk. "Then lead the way."

\---

Aaron cuts some chicken from the bone and mushes some peas onto his fork, watching Robert eat across from him. He's dimmed the lights a little and put out a candle in the centre of the table to make it more date-like and Aaron supposes it's working because all he can think about is sex.

He remembers eating tepid pizza from the box in bed, drinking beer and a terrible sci-fi film until they'd only had crumbs left and Robert had moved everything off the bed and lavished him with such attention that Aaron forgot where he was and it more than made up for the quickie in the kitchen.

So focused is he on memories that a mouthful of food goes down the wrong way and Aaron coughs, shook back into the present to reach for a glass of water that Robert appears with.

"Alright?" he asks with concerned eyes before his mouth slips into a smirk. "What have I told ya about handling a big mouthful?"

Clear of choking, Aaron puts down the water but doesn't move for his fork. "The sex was good," he agrees, his finger tracing the cold condensation on the glass. "in your bed, definitely." Robert stops chewing and raises his eyebrows, so Aaron continues. "I thought I couldn't fall for ya any harder and then that week happened and you wanted me on my own and I wanted that too. You were...different. Less guarded, angry. Relaxed."

Robert sighs but not unkindly and reaches to squeeze his hand on top of Aaron's. "I loved you. I didn't mean to blurt it out like I did, but that week proved to me that what I felt was true. I couldn't hide it anymore, from myself at least." Aaron feels him pull back slightly to interlock their fingers. "Are you okay? Why are you thinking about this? It's in the past."

"Exactly." Aaron rolls his eyes affectionately as Robert looks confused. "Today's the same date as the first day of that week. It showed me that we could do this, be a couple, if we really wanted it hard enough. I know it took us a while, but what we've got...it's a lot."

Robert lets go to sit back. "That was nearly romantic, y'know. I knew food was the way to your heart. Don't think I didn't see you looking at me here on Valentine's, slaving away on pasta for you."

Aaron blushes, thankful he doesn't mention other details. "Shut up,"

He watches as Robert pushes his half-finished plate away and stands up, holding his hand out to Aaron. "Shall we?"

"What?" Robert raises his eyes to the ceiling. "But we haven't finished."

"We didn't back then either, if I remember correctly," he smirks.

He pulls Aaron to his feet and grabs the half full glasses carefully as well as the open bottle of wine. Aaron marvels at how he can do all that and swallows hard at his hands doing other things as he quietly follows Robert upstairs to their bedroom. These surroundings are familiar and Robert immediately puts the wine down on the chest of drawers. Aaron has no idea why he brought it up here as he's intent on undressing Aaron already. He moves slowly and makes Aaron want him by _not_ kissing him, dodging playfully until they crawl into bed and he pulls Aaron's body over him, giving him the reins apart from the search for lube and a condom.

Aaron stops him, takes the lube but not the other. "Not tonight," he whispers.

He realises also that whilst he appreciates Robert's submission, he doesn't totally want that, so he lies down on his back and tucks lubed fingers between his legs as Robert rolls onto his side. He strokes at Aaron's working arm, admiring him through touch, and Aaron aches with the need to have Robert inside him. It must be easy to tell because once he's done enough to himself, he covers Aaron's body with his own and aligns their hips. Aaron raises his knees when he feels the shape of Robert against him and he dips down to fit his mouth to Aaron's tenderly, fingers guiding him in.

They're in a bed, but this is theirs. It's their home, their life that they are building a future for, and Aaron feels choked again, this time with emotion. The motions are the same, but this is nothing like three years ago because of how he feels, how _Robert_ feels and how they express that together.

He clutches at Robert's waist as a wave of sensation creeps over him and he turns his face from their kissing, clenching his eyes closed. His body must react too as Robert groans into his neck and his arms start to tremble.

"You gonna come?" he asks in a low voice and Aaron almost giggles as that's another part of it; sometimes it's quiet sex. However, maybe Robert doesn't want to break the intimacy, so Aaron simply nods. "Me too - oh god, Aaron - you're so beautiful - "

Ordinarily, he'd shy away from that, but he lets the compliment wash over him and he cups Robert's jaw to look in his eyes. They've gone so blue, bottomless, and Aaron surrenders. "I love you."

It's a shock to him when his dick flexes and spurts onto his stomach, still going when he tightens his thighs to keep Robert there and he nuzzles into Aaron's beard, moaning and breathing harsh in his ear as he takes what's unspoken and collapses into bliss. Aaron knows he's going to need a shower before he feels like he can sleep, but he doesn't regret it. Frankly, it's been too long since they really indulged in this.

Once he knows Robert's returned to the land of the living, he chuckles. "Can't believe I love you got to ya that like, you sap."

Robert brushes their noses together as he shrugs slightly, unapologetically not embarrassed. "I made dinner, lit candles. It was a date and I've had a good day."

"Oh yeah? That reminds me - what were you doing over at Nicola and Jimmy's?"

Aaron grins when Robert sighs, the mood well and truly paused at least. He withdraws to snuggle into bed and Aaron rests his head on Robert's chest to hear the thud of his heartbeat and the tale of his latest scheme. 

Lying there as Robert tells him all about Kath, Aaron feels that sense of belonging again. The Mill, this relationship, this life is his to keep and he's going to grab it with both hands and never let go, no matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


End file.
